Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-10-07
"The Pennsylvania Reserves. ="
RESPONSE OF COL. THOMPSON TO THE
ABOVE TOAST AT THE RE UNION
BANQUET, SEPT. 81, 1887.

write the history OF the war Itself
There was not a weary march to
reach the foe, charge of brigade,
a battle, scarce a campfire shown in
the enemy's front, in which Pennsyl'
yania soldiers were not present
From Bull Run to Richmond, in the
swamps beneath the cypress, on Look
out Mountain with Sherman, aboyc
the clouds, on the rivers and the seas,
the sons of Pennsylvania bore an
honorable part. And so nobly fought,
so gloriously died as Pennsylvania
soldiers upon her soil at Cemetery
Ridge and Little Round Top. Upon
her crimson bosom, her sons foil at
Gettysburg, and there the richest
blood Of her children was poured like
water, and there Lee and his army
found their Waterloo, and the Con-
federacy it's grave, and the Nation
was saved and a race redeemed. Of
our grand army, the bravest and
truest that ever stood beneath the
sun, the Reserves and other Penns-
sylvania troops constituted an i'm
portant part, and upon the soil of the
Key stone State covered themselves
and their State with unfading glory.
To Pennsylvania soldiers, their
laurels yet fresh upon them, we do
homage to night, and in honoriug
them, we none the less honor our
selves. They left home, wife, chill
dren, all that bound them to life, to
endure the toll of weary marches, the
dangers of the battle field, nay more
to bear without a murmer, that eli
max of human agony-the horrors of
Libby, Andersonville and Belle Isle.
Open the volume that records the
triumphs of human bravery in ell
ages, that sings in stately verse, the
praises of heroes and demi-gods in all
times, and Gettysburg, Belle Isle,
Fredericksburg and Petersburg, and
a score of other bloody but sacred
spots rise like cleaning stars in the
rayless vault of night. Thermopola.
Came and Flodden field have lost
their prestige, and our battle fields
have become the synonyms of bravery
the Mecca of the world
The crimson garlands, gathered on
q hundred battle fields, have been
borne in triumph, with songs and re-
jolcing, and laid upon the worlds a.
tar, the most precious heritage of un-
born millions-they fought in every
battle and died on every ield-died
for man, to save that flag of liberty,
nay liberty's self for all coming time.
Gas Christ died TO make men better,
They died to make men free"
AS you marched to-day l noted
with pride your martial bearing-that
even, regular, swinging step-the
same that took you to Antietam and
victory, in the days gone by. But |
saw, too, the step OF age, the halt, the
scars of battle, the empty sleeve, gray
hairs and the marks of time and suf.
feriEg, and 1 wept that in few m ore
years all would be over and you for
gotten. No! Not forgotten. That
flag you saved still floats in the
bright skies and while its starry folds
kiss the breeze you will not be for
gotten. You live in every star and
speak in every fold, and in the hearts
OF the people. wherever heart throhs
for liberty, you live and speak in the
children who will survive. You will
thus live and speak, warn and cheer,
march and conquer, till the Angel
sounds the assembly of the world.
That flag will still Goat, its stars are
there, the emblem of all that dies, the
symbol of all that lives
Although time and scars of battle
dim your sight and rob you of the
stsength OF youth, all is not lost, that
indomitable courage that caused you
to smile at danger, that overcame all
opposition on the field, that carried
your standards in triumpLs to and
froM Appomatox survives. Should
danger again threaten our land, or dis
honor that flag, we would hear the
SCARED veterans as the rally once
again shout as of old:
"Sound the trumpet-let ogr bloody eoloss
And either victory or grave"
Glorious men! Immortal heroes!
Men who "count it death to falter not
to die" After tired marches, bloody
battles, after unknown horrors of pris-
ons, triumph and victory-zEeace, the
tolls or battle are over, the cannon's
dumb, the drum silent. your bloody
flag, folded and laid away to rest.
"Perchance to dream" Ito dream
of the battles storm, of the bpgle
blast of charge, shout, Victory.
The trophies of flags, won on many
field and stained with comrades
blood, rest also in peace amid the
honors of those who bore them from
the field of battle-let them rest end
s,eep anG drsan beneath Our stars
forever. Let no hand unbaptized
with soldiers blood touch the hal
lowed graves. Folded in peace, en-
balmed in the tears of o ransomed
Nation, no power, thank God, will
ever transport them to alien lands,
nor surrender them to unfriendly
hands. And with peace came recon-
oiliation, forgiveness, none can for
give like the brave. Your foes are
now your friends, and you are theirs.
You honor them for the bravery dis
played in the wickedest war that ever
scourged the world They honor you
for the bravery yoH displayed in tue
holiest war in which man ever hled
or died. Your laurels are green and
undying, and yet the brightest leaf in
this chapter is, mercy and forgiveness
the brightest jewel in the crown OF
God and men.
"What is diviner than the peace of foes;
He conquers not Who has not conquered h4Sa
Sr thinks the shining wheels of heaven wait
On his forgiving. Dinner the laurel shows
On brows that darken-aud war-won repose,
Is but truce. when heroes ahdioate
TO Huns. Enfabling these of elder date,
When from each corse, tercer warrior rose.
All, yea, that saved the landau, yes,
And yea that bless its saving neither can for
get
The price our destiny did of both demand.
Toll, want, wounds, prisons and the
Of tesfs al hoine-Ah look on these, and yet
Before the human fail you-quick your
hand
Only towards are cruel, the truly